Daniel 11:1-35
With Historical Names & Commentary notes inserted
from Bible Knowledge Commentary
1 “Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and
strengthen him.) 2 And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings
(Cambyses, Pseudo-Smerdis, Darius Hystaspes) will arise in Persia, and the fourth
shall be far richer than them all (Xerxes was the most powerful, influential, and
wealthy of the four. During his reign he fought wars against Greece.); by his
strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 3 Then
a mighty king, (Alexander the Great), shall arise, who shall rule with great
dominion, and do according to his will. 4 And when he has arisen, his kingdom
shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his
posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall
be uprooted, even for others besides these.
Dan. 11:5 “Also the king of the South, (Ptolemy I Soter), shall become strong, as
well as one of his princes (Ptolemy II Philadelphus); and he shall gain power over
him (Seleucus I Nicator) and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great
dominion. 6 And at the end of some years they (Ptolemy II & Antiochus II) shall
join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South (Berenice) shall go to the king
of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her
authority, and neither he nor his authority shall stand; but she shall be given up,
with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who
strengthened her in those times. (This marriage, however, did not last, for Laodice,
whom Antiochus had divorced in order to marry Berenice, had Berenice killed (she
was handed over). Laodice then poisoned Antiochus II and made her son, Seleucus
II Callinicus, king) 7 But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place
(Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes), who shall come with an army, enter
the fortress of the king of the North (Seleucus II), and deal with them and prevail. 8
And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princes and their
precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king
of the North. (Ptolemy III ruled 6 years longer than Seleucus II)
Dan. 11:9 “Also the king of the North (Seleucus II) shall come to the kingdom of
the king of the South (Ptolemy III), but shall return to his own land. 10 However his
sons (Seleucus III & Antiochus III) shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of
great forces; and one (Antiochus III) shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass
through; then he shall return to his fortress and stir up strife.
Dan. 11:11 “And the king of the South (Ptolemy IV Philopator) shall be moved
with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North (Antiochus III),
who shall muster a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into the hand of
his enemy. 12 When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up; and
he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. 13 For the king of the
North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly
come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.
Dan. 11:14 “Now in those times many (Philip V of Macedonia) shall rise up
against the king of the South (Ptolemy III). Also, violent men of your people
(Jews) shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall. 15 So
the king of the North (Antiochus III) shall come and build a siege mound, and take
a fortified city (Sidon); and the forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even
his choice troops shall have no strength to resist. 16 But he who comes against him
shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall
stand in the Glorious Land (Israel) with destruction in his power.
Dan. 11:17 “He (Antiochus III) shall also set his face to enter with the strength of
his whole kingdom, and upright ones (Jews) with him; thus shall he do. And he
shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it (Antiochus sought to bring
peace between Egypt and Syria by giving his daughter to marry Ptolemy V
Epiphanes of Egypt. But this attempt to bring a peaceful alliance between the two
nations did not succeed); but she shall not stand with him, or be for him. 18 After
this he shall turn his face to the coastlands (Asia Minor & Greece), and shall take
many. But a ruler (Cornelius Scipio – a commander from Rome) shall bring the
reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back
on him. 19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he
shall stumble and fall, and not be found. (Antiochus returned to his own country in
188 and died a year later but his dream of reuniting Alexander’s empire under his
authority was never realized.)
Dan. 11:20 “There shall arise in his place one (Seleucus IV Philopator) who
imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom (Israel); but within a few days he shall be
destroyed (he was poisoned by his treasurer Heliodorus.), but not in anger or in
battle. 21 And in his place shall arise a vile person (Antiochus IV Epiphanes), to
whom they will not give the honor of royalty (The throne rightly belonged to
Demetrius Soter, a son of Seleucus IV Philopator, but Antiochus IV seized the
throne and had himself proclaimed king. Thus he did not come to the throne by
rightful succession); but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by
intrigue. 22 With the force of a flood (army) they shall be swept away from before
him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. (High Priest – Onias III) 23
And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come
up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably,
even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have
not done, nor his forefathers: he (Antiochus) shall disperse among them the
plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but
only for a time.
Dan. 11:25 “He (Antiochus) shall stir up his power and his courage against the
king of the South (Ptolemy VI Philometer) with a great army. And the king of the
South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he
(Antiochus) shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those
who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept
away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on
evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end
will still be at the appointed time. 28 While returning to his land with great riches,
his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant (the Mosaic system); so he shall
do damage and return to his own land. (After his disappointment in Egypt (he had
hoped to take all of Egypt but failed) he took out his frustrations on the Jews by
desecrating the temple in Jerusalem.)
Dan. 11:29 “At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it
shall not be like the former or the latter. 30 For ships from Cyprus (Roman army)
shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the
holy covenant, and do damage.
“So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31
And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress;
then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of
desolation. 32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with
flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great
exploits. (Mattathias, a priest, was the father of five sons. (One of them, Judas,
became well known for refurbishing and restoring the temple in late 164 B.C. He
was called Judas Maccabeus, “the Hammerer.”) 33 And those of the people who
understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and
flame, by captivity and plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with
a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. 35 And some of those of
understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until
the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.